LISNews started on this day in 1999. LISNews has been through 4 web servers, and 4 different content management systems. LISNews remains an interesting place to read and discuss issues thanks to all the many people who work to keep the site going.

Every year I do my best to thank everyone who works hard to make LISNews. People Like Stephen Michael Kellat who does the podcast. Everyone who has submitted stories over the years, Lee Hadden, Bob Cox, Charles Davis, Gary Price, Steven Fessenamiar.

All the LISNews authors who've come and gone like Steven M. Cohen, Rochelle Hartman, Ieleene and many others. The current authors like Birdie, Bibliofuture, Great Western Dragon and everyone else who posts stories I'd never find. More authors make this site better. More collaboration, more cooperation, and more involvement from more people can only help make LISNews stronger. They bring diversity, breadth, and depth. There must be a nice slogan there somewhere.

There are three people who really made this all possible. Without their help, LISNews would not exist as it does today. Joe Frazee for his Linux skills, Nabeal Ahmed for teaching me how to program, and Steve Galbraith for posting stories with me in the early days.

There are far too many people involved with LISNews for me to be able to thank everyone, and that's the beauty of it all. I've always strived to make LISNews an open site that allows as many people to participate as possible. I think collaboration is the key to success in most ventures, and LISNews is no exception. I've never really thought of LISNews as "my site," because it's truly a group effort, I just keep the thing running. At this point I've either been proven right on that idea, or the site is empty. Everyone who has had special "author powers" deserves a big pat on the back for the time and effort they put in to post stories. The authors are really the most important part of the site, since they are the people who post the stories that keep us all coming back. Someday, I hope, I'll be able to pay them for their hard work.

LISNews started as a small, hand made, static HTML site with a few pages, and just a few stories. I simply wanted to see if I could make a web site, any web site. I eventually figured out how to get PHPSlash installed and running, and that code kept us going for a few years. Several years ago back I said farewell to that dear old friend, and untold hours of development, and moved to the "real" Slashcode. Slashcode allowed more interaction and participation. With journals, moderation, the zoo, and many other features. Slashcode was nice, but it was also a huge PITA, so a couples years back I moved to Drupal, and never regretted it for a second. LISNews now provides what seems like a never ending array of goodies to help kill some time at work, or home, or wherever you happen to be.

This week's episode brings an interview cross continents about censorship. The censorship case happens to be happening in Australia. An anti-censorship activist, Michael Meloni, was interviewed about the matter as inquiries to the Australian government department concerned went unanswered. Electronic Frontiers Australia has presented online a background review of the issue.

This episode breaks away from the usual mold. With so many events coming up, the team put together a bit of a calendar of upcoming events. The next few weeks may be busy in areas that impact the IT infrastructure of libraries. There also seems to be quite a few elections coming up that might be of interest.
Following the calendar review there is an interview with Library Journal Editor-in-Chief Francine Fialkoff. In the interview the matter of the Annoyed Librarian was discussed as well as changes in the media landscape. Following the interview a commentary is presented in the matter. At the close of the commentary a unique proposal for change to LIS education curricula is pitched.
Wrapping up the episode was the review of stories you might have missed. Also included in the wrap-up was an apology to the person who uploaded an MP3 file to the team that was corrupted and otherwise unrecoverable.
Related links:
New blog home of the Annoyed LibrarianAnnoyed Librarian via RSSProfile page for Ramesh Ponnuru at Washington Post's siteOpenOffice.org version 3.0 (Release Candidate #4)OpenOffice.org Launch Party Announcement

Blake posted earlier about the hiring of the Annoyed Librarian blogger by Library Journal. David Lee King wrote at his blog about how he no longer trusts Library Journal. Apparently something has gotten the library community agitated.
Have an opinion to express? Wish to ventilate a view? The production team is looking to gather reactions to air in LISTen #43 as part of a segment.
In the United States, you can leave an audio message by caling 646-495-9201 and entering extension 61340 when prompted. As the cost to call a number in the United States is somewhat high for those located outside US borders, an upload widget is provided below to submit MP3 files:

All audio submissions will be reviewed but all may not necessarily make it to air. It is best to identify yourself at the beginning akin to this example: "Hi, this is Libby from Cleveland, home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and I..." To allow time for us to listen to them all and get them edited together, we would need to hear from you by 9 PM Pacific Daylight Time this Friday. There is a converter pre-set to show what that time would be in other locations across the planet.
There is no geographic restriction as to who we are looking to hear from. If you are Tasmania and have something to say in the matter, we'll be more than happy to review what you send. Whether it is Perth or Sudbury or Dublin, this is open to you.

This week's installment of this news magazine brings three pieces. The first is a bit of reporting on the Steve Jobs heart attack hoax. Following that there is a commentary on librarians and politics. Before the zeitgeist review that shifted to the episode's end, we also have a look at simple steps toward e-mail security.